Sheree Whitfield Raises Awareness For Dementia As She Reveals Her Mom’s Recent Diagnosis: ‘This Has Been One Of The Most Difficult Experiences I Have Endured’

Sheree Whitfield Raises Awareness For Dementia As She Reveals Her Mom’s Recent Diagnosis: ‘This Has Been One Of The Most Difficult Experiences I Have Endured’

“Real Housewives of Atlanta” star Sheree Whitfield has revealed her mom is battling dementia.

The 54-year-old made a post on Instagram today (March 12), to open up about how her mother’s — Thelma Ferguson — diagnosis has impacted the entire family. 

Sheree Whitfield captioned the heartfelt post,

“Hey boo’s! I know I have not been as active on social media like I usually do. I have been dealing with a lot and I wish I had better news to share at this time, but I just wanted to come on here to update y’all and bring awareness to a cause that is near and dear to my heart.”

The fitness enthusiast also noted that she previously lost her father due to Alzheimer’s. 

“As many of you know, my father passed away last March due to Alzheimer’s. It saddens me that the one year anniversary of my father’s death and this disease is also affecting another very close family member, my mom. This has been one of the most difficult experiences I have ever endured, especially going through this with close family members back to back and feeling helpless like there is nothing I can do but try to make them as comfortable as possible when of course that’s not enough!”

In the captioned post, the Ohio native also expressed appreciation for caregivers who looked after “loved ones with dementia.” 

Sheree Whitfield then asked for advice on how to manage now that her mom had been diagnosed with the condition. She said, in part, 

“I have tons of questions & I am open to learning more about this disease… If any caregivers/caretakers can drop helpful tips that can possibly help me or anyone reading this with a loved one that is in the beginning stages of dementia and is resistant to help, this would be greatly appreciated.”

The author and designer concluded the caption,

“Please remember to tell your loved ones that you love them while you still can.”

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer’s is a brain disease that causes memory loss and other cognitive impairments. Symptoms eventually grow severe enough to interfere with daily tasks. The disease is reportedly one of the top 10 leading causes of death in the United States. According to the CDC, in 2020, as many as 5.8 million Americans were living with Alzheimer’s disease.

In 2020, Sheree’s mom, Thelma Ferguson, went missing. According to police, at that time, she was last seen leaving her home in Sandy Springs, Georgia, before she was found safe in Ohio by detectives more than two weeks later amid the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Our thoughts and prayers are with Sheree Whitfield and her family during this time.